Miftah Ismail likely to retain federal minister’s status

ISLAMABAD: Former finance minister Miftah Ismail is likely to retain the status of federal minister, citing sources, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Sources told ARY News that Miftah Ismail will be part of the federal cabinet despite stepping down as finance minister. Ismail will retain its federal minister’s status without having any portfolio.

In the presence of Miftah Ismail with this status, the number of federal cabinet members will further increase to 74, including 35 federal ministers, seven ministers of state, four advisers and 28 special assistants.

READ: PM APPOINTS ONE MORE SAPM AS CABINET SWELLS TO 73 MEMBERS

The notification for the appointment of Miftah Ismail as a federal minister had been issued on April 19. An unelected person could retain a status for up to six months.

According to the regulations, Ismail will complete his tenure as federal minister on October 18 – 2022.

Earlier in the day, Senator Ishaq Dar took oath as finance minister after Miftah Ismail formally resigned from the post of finance minister.

READ: ISHAQ DAR TAKES OATH AS SENATOR AMID OPPOSITION PROTEST

President Arif Alvi administered the oath to Ishaq Dar at a ceremony organised at Aiwan-e-Sadar.

Ishaq Dar, a PML-N stalwart and close confidante of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, returned to Pakistan on Monday after ending his five years self-exile.

Miftah Ismail had resigned from his ministry and handed over his resignation to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif in London.